You never got the chance to meet the twins, Sophie and Minerva—not that it was really possible. By the time you found Ericson’s, they’d already been “gone” for two years.

After earning your place within the group, you started to get close to Violet. At first, she was distant, cold even, her words clipped and her tone edged with annoyance. But the more time you spent with her, the more you realized there was a softness beneath the sharp exterior, a sweetness she kept guarded.

Everything else in your relationship was good—perfect, even—except for Violet’s constant talking about Minerva. It was nonstop.

She brought up Minerva so often it started to feel like a third person in your relationship. “Minnie this,” “Minnie that.” It wasn’t just casual mentions, either. The way Violet talked about her made your stomach twist.

“She always knew how to make me laugh,” Violet said one day, her voice soft, almost wistful. “Minnie had this way of lighting up a room, you know?”